Lever actuated alternate action switch



Aug. 17, 1954 A. R. KOCH r 2,686,433

LEVER ACTUATED ALTERNATE ACTION SWITCH Filed bet. 8, 1951 Patented Aug.17, 1954 LEVER ACTUATED ALTERNATE ACTION SWITCH Alfred Richard Koch,Freeport, 111., assignor to Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company,Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application October 8,1951, Serial No. 250,280

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an actuating mechanism, and particularly to alever-operated actuating mechanism for operating alternate actionmechanisms.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel lever-operatedactuating mechanism in which a pivoted actuator is biased to apredetermined position relative to the lever on which it is mounted.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel lever-operatedactuating mechanism in which the lever is biased to a predeterminedlimiting position and an actuator pivoted on the lever is biased to apredetermined position relative to the lever.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel lever-operatedactuating mechanism in which a single spring biases the lever to apredetermined limiting position and biases an actuator pivoted on thelever to a position perpendicular to the lever.

Also among the objects of this invention is the provision of a novelactuating mechanism in which the actuating portion is adapted to bedeflected from its line of free movement upon engagement with theoperated mechanism and to return to its original position upon releaseof the operating force on the actuating mechanism, which is simple andrugged in construction, and. which is adapted for moving an alternateaction mechanism between two stable positions.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following description of one form of the invention,illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevational View of the actuatingmechanism of the present invention mounted on an alternate action snapswitch;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the actuating mechanism and switch ofFig. 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the Fig. 1 switch with the top cover andactuating mechanism therefor removed;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the actuator member of the Fig. 1actuating mechanism; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lever which supports the actuatormember of the Fig. 1 actuating mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, the actuating mechanism is shown operativelyassociated with a toggle-operated, alternate action snap switch of knowndesign and mode of operation. The switch includes a snap spring system Iwhich includes a pair of parallel spaced tension members 2. mounted atone end on the switch base 3 by means of upper and lower flat U-shapedanchor plates 4. The tension members are interconnected at theiropposite ends with a compression member 5 and carry a mobile contact 6thereat. A toggle member 1 is pivotally mounted on one edge of the crosspiece 8 interconnecting the tension members intermediate their lengths.A groove 9 formed in the toggle member in its face opposite its pivotalmounting receives the free end. of the compression member 5 to maintainthe latter in bowed compression. Spaced stationary stops I0, one or bothof which may be contacts, define the extreme limits of movement of themobile contact 6 in either direction. Snap action movement of the mobilecontact between these stops is effected by pivotal movement of thetoggle 1 between limiting positions determined respectively by theengagement of the lower face of the toggle arm I l with the base 3 andthe engagement of the lower face of the toggle arm l2, positioned at theopposite side of the pivotal axis of the toggle, with the base. Suchpivotal movement of the toggle causes the toggle groove 9 to move thecompression member 5 of the snap spring system through an axis ofmaximum stress to efiect the snap action movement of the mobile contact.For effecting this pivotal movement of the toggle there is provided theactuating mechanism of the present invention, indicated generally at l3,mounted on the top cover M for the switch.

The top cover [4 includes spaced upstanding side walls i5 whichrotatably support a transverse horizontal pivot pin it. Mounted on thepin I6 is an elongated lever l1 extending lengthwise of the switchhousing above the top cover therefor. As best seen in Fig. 5, the leverl1 includes a pair of relatively short parallel longitudinal slots I8adjacent its mounted end. Between the slots l8 the material of the leveris displaced upwardly to define a, semi-cylindrical portion 19, and onthe other sides of the slots I8 the material of the lever is displaceddownwardly to form lower semicylindrical portions 20 aligned with theupper semi-cylindrical portion I9. The displaced lever portions l9 and20 in effect define a cylindrical socket for receiving the pivot pin andare dimensioned to snugly grip the pivot pin.

A stop member 3| is carried on the top cover M at one end thereof and isdisposed beneath the end 32 of the lever H. Movement of the leverclockwise in Fig. l is limited by the engagement of the lever end 32with the stop member 3 I. The end 32 of the lever may be bent in orderto adjust to any predetermined. point the free position of the lever ll,which is defined by the engagement of the lever end 32 with the stop 31.

Intermediate its length and on the opposite side of its pivotal axisfrom the end 32 the lever H is formed at its side edges with a pair ofaligned rectangular slots 34. Each of these slots is formed with spacedopposed shoulders 35 and 36, and together the slots provide a, reducedneck portion 3? on the lever 11 for the reception of the toggle-engagingactuator or driver member 38' (Fig. 4) The latter is in the form of agenerally flat plate provided with a lower rounded or tapered end 39 forengagement with the toggle. Adjacent its upper end the driver is formedwith a rectangular hole 46 having opposed spaced upper and lowerhorizontaledges 41. and 32. The height of the hole 48 is greater thanthe width of the free end 43 of the lever ll, so that the driver may beassembled onto the lever by passing the free end 43 of the lever throughthe opening #9 in the driver. The width of the mounting hole 49 is lessthan the width of the free end 33 of the driver and greater than thewidth of the reduced neck portion 3'! on the driver, so that the drivermay be maintained on the lever with the furcations M on either side ofthe hole 48 disposed within the slots 34 formed in the side edges of thelever I'i. The thickness of the driver plate 33 is less than the spacebetween the opposed shoulders 3'5, 36 which define the slots 34, givingthe driver a limited amount of play within these slots and permittinglimited pivotal movement of the driver 38 relative to the lever IT.

A torsion spring, indicated generally at, 45, is provided for biasingthe driver 38 to position the lower edge #32 of the hole 40 inengagement with the underside of the reduced neck portion 31 on thelever ll. As best seen in Fig. 2, the torsion spring includes agenerally U-shaped portion consisting of a pair of elongated arms lEextending longitudinally of the switch housing and through the hole 40in the driver, and a bight or bridging portion 41 interconnecting thearms 46 at the opposite side of the driver from the mounted end of thelever. At their other ends, the spring arms 45 terminate in coils48looped about the pivot pin i6 and end arms d9 bearing against the top ofthe switch cover 14. The coils 48 are received loosely within the slots[8 formed in the lever ll. At their interconnection with the driver thespring arms 46 are disposed downwardly to form i -shaped segments, whichextend upwardly at B and ill, on opposite sides of the driver. The biasof the torsion spring lls is such that the juncture of the V arms 50, 5|engages the upper edge 4! of the hole ll]v in the driver 38 and liftsthe driver 38 upwardly to position the lower edge E2. of the driver hol48, in engagement with the underside of the reduced neck portion 31 onthe lever. Thus, the torsion spring biases both the driver 38 and thelever H upwardly and normally maintains the driver perpendicular to thelever Hi.

The lower end 39 on the driver extends into a hole 52 formed in the topcover HZ on the switch housing and is disposed above the toggle foroperating the snap. spring system I. From Fig. 1, it will be notedthatthe toggle is formed with a central upper ridge 53'on either side ofwhich are located'two valleys 54 and 5'5.

Normally the torsion spring 45 biases the driver 38 away from engagementwith the snap spring toggle l and causes the driver to lift the lever Hto its free position defined by the engagement of its end 32 with thestoptl. The toggle and snap spring may be'ineither of two stable 4positions, and for purposes of this discussion are assumed to beinitially in the position of Fig. 1, with the upper ridge 53 on thetoggle disposed to the right of the line of movement of the lower end 89of the driver 38 and the mobile contact 6 engaging the upper fixed stopHi.

When the free end 330f the lever I! is depressed the lever is rotatedcounterclockwise about its pivot It. The driver 38 is moved downward toengage the inclined surface on the toggle between, the upper ridge 53and the valley 54. Further downward movement of the driver 38 causes itslower end 39 to ride down along this inclined surfaceuntil it abutsagainst the valley 5 3-011 the upper surface of the toggle, after whichthe toggle is rotated (counterclockwise in Fig. 1) in response tofurther downward movement of the driver. This movement of the toggle 2about its pivotal axis causes the compression member 5 of the snapspring system to move through an axis of unstable equilibrium to snapthe mobile contact 5 into engagement with the lower fixed stoplfl.

During such downward movement of the driver after it has engaged thetoggle, the lower end 39 of the driver is deflected, by its engagementwith the inclined toggle surface, away from its path of free travel. Thedriver 38 at this time pivots about the lower edge 42 of its mountinghole 43, which the torsion spring maintains in engagement with the lowerface of the neck 3? on the lever. This pivotal movement of the driver38.causes the upper edge 4! of its mounting hole to ride up the inclinedsegments of the torsion spring arms 15, further compressing the-torsionspring.

When the operating force is removed from the lever ll, the-compressedspring 45 exerts an up ward force on the driver 38 to lift the latteraway. from-engagement with the toggle 1. At the same time, due to theinclination of the segments 50 on the spring arms 36, the upper edge 41of the mounting holeon the driver slides down into the V-shaped seat onthe spring arms between the inclined-segments 50 and 51, pivoting thedriver (counterclockwise in Fig. 1) about the lower mounting hole edge42, which engages the underside of the neck 3! on the lever ll, into itsnormal position perpendicular to the lever ll. The force exerted by thespring 35 is also transmitted through the driver 58: to the lever ll,lifting the free end 22', of the lever (clockwise in Fig. 1) until theother end 32 of the lever abuts against the stop. 31. During this returnmovement of the lever H and the driver 38 the toggle Tremains in theposition to which it has been actuated, with the upper toggleridge, 53.now disposed to the left of the path of free travel of the driver 38 andthe mobile contact 6 engaging the lower fixed stop 10.

Upon the next operationof the lever H the, snap spring system Iisactuated to, move the mobile contact Shack into engagement with theupper fixed stop Hi. Thus, when the lever ll is depressed this nexttime, the lower. edge 39v on the driver EBengages the'inclined togglesurface between the upper toggleiridge 53 and the valley E5. The driverrides down, this inclined toggle surface to seat in the valley androtate the toggle (clockwise inFig. 1) so as to move the toggle back,toits Fig. 1 position and to return themobile contact 6 witha snapaction intoengagementwith the upper fixed stop 0. During this operation,the driver 38' is pivoted (counterclockwise in Fig;,l) about its lowermounting hole edge 42, so that the upper edge 41 of the mounting hole onthe driver rides upward along the inclined segments 5| on the torsionspring arms at. When the operating force on the lever H is released, thelever and the driver are raised by the spring 45 away from engagementwith the toggle and the driver is returned to its normal positionextending perpendicular to the lever.

While there has been described herein a preferred form or" the presentinvention, it is to be understood that variations from the illustratedspecific embodiment may be resorted to without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention. For example, there are numerous otherdifferent ways in which the driver could be pivoted to the lever andother types of return springs could be used. Also, the actuatingmechanism of the present invention may be used with snap actingmechanisms different from the switch herein described, and may be usedwith nonsnap acting mechanisms which it is desired to actuate by anactuating mechanism according to the present invention.

I claim:

1. An actuating mechanism comprising a river having an operating freeend formed with a hole intermediate its extent, a pair of spaced opposededges on the driver partially defining said hole therein, a movablemember extending freely through said hole, and a spring engaging one ofsaid opposed edges on thed river which is remote from said free end ofthe driver to bias the other opposed edge thereon which is closest tothe free end of the driver into engagement with the member to define apivotal mounting for the driver on the member.

2. An actuating mechanism comprising an elongated pivoted lever formedwith a reduced neck portion intermediate its length, a driver formedwith a hole encircling said reduced neck portion on the lever, thedriver being formed with spaced opposed edges defining the upper andlower edges of said hole therein, and a spring engaging the upper edgeof said hole in the driver to position said lower edge of said hole inthe driver in engagement with the underside of said reduced neck portionon the lever to mount the driver pivotally on the lever.

B. An actuating mechanism comprising an elongated pivoted lever formedwith aligned slots in its sides defining a reduced neck portion of thelever intermediate its length, a driver plate loosely received on saidreduced neck portion of the lever and formed with a hole surroundingsaid reduced neck portion of the lever, said driver being formed withspaced opposed edges defining upper and lower edges of said holetherein, and a spring arm engaging beneath the upper edge of said holeto bias the driver to a position where the lower edge of said hole inthe driver engages the underside of the reduced neck portion of thelever to pivotally mount the driver on the lever, said spring arm beingformed with segments which incline upwardly on either side of the driverdefining a V-shaped seat for the driver on the spring arm and biasingthe driver into perpendicular relation to the lever.

4. An actuating mechanism mounted on a support, comprising an elongatedlever mounted for pivotal movement toward and away from the support andformed with a reduced neck portion intermediate is extent in spacedrelation from its pivotal mounting, a driver formed with a holesurrounding said reduced neck portion on the lever, the driver beingformed with spaced opposed edges defining upper and lower edges of saidhole therein, and a spring engaging the upper edge of said hole in thedriver to bias the driver to position the lower edge of said hole in thedriver in engagement with the underside of said reduced neck portion onthe lever to mount the driver pivotally on the lever, said spring alsoacting through the driver to bias the lever to a limiting positionrelative to the support.

5. An actuating mechanism mounted on a support, comprising an elongatedlever mounted for pivotal movement toward and away from the supportformed with aligned slots in its sides to define a reduced neck portionspaced from the pivotal mounting of the lever, a driver plate looselyreceived on said reduced neck portion of the lever and formed with ahole through which said reduced neck portion of the lever extends, saiddriver being formed with spaced opposed edges defining upper and loweredges of said hole therein, and a spring arm engaging beneath the upperedge of said hole in the driver to bias the driver to a position wherethe lower edge of said hole therein engages the underside of the reducedneck portion of the lever to pivotally mount the driver on the lever,said spring arm being formed with segments which incline upwardly oneither side of the driver to form a V-shaped seat for the driver on thespring arm normally posttioning the driver perpendicular to the lever,said spring arm also acting through the driver to bias the lever to alimiting position relative to the support.

6. In an actuating mechanism a support, a pair of spaced upstandingparallel Walls on said support, a pin fulcrumed in said walls, a levermounted on said pin, a stop to limit rotation of said lever in onedirection, opposed notches in the sides of the lever spaced from thepin, an actuator pivoted on said lever and having an aperture of widthless than the width of the lever but greater than the distance betweenthe notches surrounding the lever at said notches, a torsion springencircling the pin, one end of said spring bearing against the support,the other end of said spring engaging the top of the aperture in theactuator to bias the bottom of the aperture against said lever and tobias the lever toward said stop, said actuator-engaging end of thespring being V-shaped at its point of engagement with said actuator tobias the actuator toward a position substantially perpendicular to saidlever with the top of said aperture in the bottom of the V.

7. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said spring is formed withintersecting inclined portions which extend at opposite sides of saiddriver outwardly away from said free end of the driver and which definea V-shaped seat for said one opposed edge at the hole in the driver.

8. An alternate action mechanism, comprising a pivoted alternatormovable in opposite directions, a driver having an operating free endoperative to engage said alternator for moving the same and formed witha hole intermediate its extent, a pair of spaced opposed edges on thedriver partially defining said hole therein, a member movable toward andaway from said alternator and extending freely through said hole in thedriver, and a spring engaging the edge at said hole in the driver whichis remote from said free end of the driver to bias the other opposededge at said hole in the driver which is closest to said free end of thedriver into engagement with the egeseyiee 7- movable member topivotallysmountthe driver thereon.

9. An actuating mechanism comprising a driver having an operating freeend and formed with a hole intermediate its extent, a pair of spacedopposed edges on the driver partially defining said hole therein, apivctedlever extending freely through said hole in the driver, and aspring engaging one of said opposed edges on the driver which is remotefrom said free end of the driver to bias the other opposed edge thereonwhich is closest to said free end of the driver into engagement with thelever to pivotally mount the driver on the lever, said spring havingintersecting inclined portions Which extend at opposite sides of saiddriver outwardly from said free end of the driver and which define aV-shaped seat for said one opposed edge at the hole in the driver.

10. An actuating mechanism comprising a movable member, an actuatorformed with an edge positioned to pivota-llyv engage said movablemember, said actuator also having an operating free end spaced from saidmovable member, and a spring engaging said actuator in spaced relationfrom said edge thereon and in spaced relation from said operating freeend thereof and biasing said actuator to position said edge thereon inengagement with the movable member to pivotally mount the actuatorthereon.

11. An actuating mechanism mounted on a support, comprising a levermounted for pivotal movement relative to said support, an actuatorformed with an edge positioned to pivotally engage said lever in spacedrelation from the pivotal mounting therefor, said actuator being formedwith an operating free end spaced from the lever, and a torsion springencircling the pivotal mounting for the lever and acting. between thesupport and a portion of the actuator spaced from said edge thereon tobias said actuator to position said edge thereon in. engagement with thelever to pivotally mount the actuator on the lever.

12. An alternate action mechanism, comprising-a pivotedalternatormovable in opposite directionsabout its pivotal mounting, amember movable toward and away from said alternator, an actuator formed.with an edge positioned to pivotally engage said movable member, saidactuatorhaving an operating free end for engaging the alternator to movethe same about its pivotal mounting, and a spring engaging said actuatorin spaced relation from said edge thereon and biasing said actuator toposition said edge thereon in engagement with the movable member topivotally mount the actuator thereon.

13. An actuating mechanism mounted on a support, comprising amovablemember mounted for movement relative to the support, an actuator formedwith an edge positioned to pivotally engage said movable: member, saidactuator also having an operating free end spaced from saidmovablemember, and a spring engaging said aetuator in spacedirelationfrom said edge thereon and in spaced relation from said operating freeend thereoi and biasing said actuator to position said edgethereon inengagement with the movable member to pivotally mount the actuatorthereon,.said-.spring also acting through the actuator to bias themovable member to a predetermined position. relativeto the support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 64,318 Howe Apr. 30, 1867 1,051,273 Sandberg et a1 Jan. 21,1913 1,997,209 Douglas Apr. 9, 1935 2,022,442 Stollberg Nov. 26, 19352,511,271 Kaminky June 13, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country, Date594,740 Great Britain Nov. 18, 1947

